ACDC Board President Lori Seymour welcomed everyone in attendance at the Rock Port/Watson Luncheon hosted by the Atchison County Development Corporation at River Rock Lanes Wednesday, March 11, 2026. She opened with a prayer and closed with a reminder to everyone with seniors in high school to have them fill out one of ACDC’s college scholarships (which provide funds for both four year and two year educational institutions).
Joanna Burke spoke to the ACDC luncheon attendees about Rock Port’s TeamMates program which benefits school children through a mentorship.
Rock Port Mayor JR Chaney touched on subjects such as housing, roads, and dilapidated buildings at the ACDC luncheon.
The Atchison County Development Corporation (ACDC) held its annual Rock Port/Watson Community Luncheon March 11, 2026, at River Rock Lanes in Rock Port, Missouri. The local development group hosts these luncheons in each major town of the county to inform the public about what is going on with not only ACDC but local organizations and community programs.
On Wednesday, March 11, county residents and Rock Port businessmen and women were given updates on what is going on in the Rock Port and Watson communities as well as updates on ACDC’s projects.
ACDC Board President Lori Seymour welcomed everyone in attendance and started the meeting off with a prayer. She also introduced ACDC’s board members in attendance as well as local and state elected officials.
Rock Port City Mayor JR Chaney spoke about a number of topics that the city is facing, including lack of housing for incoming workers looking to move to the community, the city’s efforts to fix streets and trim trees to eliminate power outages, and renovation work at city hall as well demolition projects in the works for dilapidated buildings on Main Street.
Joanna Burke, PNP, spoke about Rock Port’s TeamMates Mentoring. Rock Port is the first community in Missouri to start a chapter, which is a nonprofit organization founded by Dr. Tom and Nancy Osborne in 1991 in Lincoln, Nebraska. The mission of the organization is to positively impact the world by inspiring students to reach their full potential through mentoring. Since its inception in 1991, TeamMates has grown into the largest school-based mentoring program in the United States. It has served over 49,000 students in 188 chapters across Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, South Dakota, Wyoming, and now Missouri. The organization currently serves 10,000 students. The Rock Port chapter is now recruiting mentors and mentees. Mentors ages 18 and older meet with students in second grade through 12th for 30 to 45 minutes per week at the school. Joanna said that Rock Port R-II School is currently looking for more adult males to join as mentors. For more information, contact Joanna Burke at joanna.burke@rpbluejays.com or go to teammates.org.
ACDC Director Monica Bailey gave concluding remarks about ACDC’s continued efforts to keep #ACisAwesome going strong by supporting existing businesses through the business improvement and community cleanup and beautification grants, as well as offering assistance to anyone wanting to open a business in Atchison County. She also reiterated how lucky we are living here as many times when visiting with others at Great Northwest Day at the Capitol in Jefferson City, it is made apparent that many people in the state go without all the amenities we take for granted in our communities. And she reminded everyone that even the local youth see the amazing things and opportunities provided here and she hopes that love for Atchison County continues into their adulthood and brings them back to raise their families here.
